AP to integrate 3 health schemes under one programme

Hyderabad, July 29 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy today announced that the three ongoing schemes-health emergency transport, treatment and insurance-would be integrated under one programme known as ''Rajiv Arogyasri'' (Rajiv Health Mission).

The three schemes that would be integrated were Emergency Management and Research Institute (EMRI-108), the Health Management and Research Institute (HMRI-1056) and the Health Insurance Scheme for the poor (Arogyasri) and National Health Mission.

Dr Reddy said the integrated ''Rajiv Arogyasri'' would be formally launched in three districts on August 15 and the entire network of the scheme would be completed by August 15, 2008.

With the integration of these schemes, Andhra Pradesh would be the first state where quality emergency transport and treatment at multi-super-speciality hospitals would be made available to majority of the people, mainly the poor, he added.

The programme would now be a government programme, operated and maintained by the Satyam Foundation in collaboration and cooperation with other major corporates.

All services like emergency transport, medication and treatment at super specialty hospitals would be rolled out in the entire state by August 15, 2008.

The scheme, which would provide free emergency service anywhere, any time in Andhra Pradesh, would be implemented by EMRI in Public- Private Partnership framework, with 95 per cent funding from the state government.